Phlegon panamensis , Otto 2017, sp. nov.

Phlegon panamensis sp. nov.

Fig. 20–25

Diagnosis. Rounded punctures along elytral sutures distinguish this species from both P. giganteus and P. chiriquiensis. Males are distinguished from those of P. herculeanus by shorter antennomere IX in relation to X; subequal in both segments for P. herculeanus. Males are further distinguished from male P. buqueti by elongate, thinner antennal rami on antennomeres IX–X; shorter and thicker in P. buqueti. Females of P. panamensis can be distinguished from both P. buqueti and P. herculeanus by relative length of antennomere IX in relation to X; antennomere IX longer than X in both P. buqueti and P. herculeanus, and IX as long as X in P. panamensis.

Type Material. Male holotype: “La Chorrera, 10.V.12 Pan, Aug. Busck” / “J. Muona det., Phlegon, buqueti Bon. ” (genus, species and author handwritten) / “ Phlegon buqueti, Laporte 1840, J. Muona det. 2014” / “ HOLOTYPE:, Phlegon, panamensis, Otto, det. R.L. Otto, 2016” (♂ handwritten behind species name on label) [red printed label]. Holotype deposited in JMC.

Paratypes: 1 ♂, “Barro Colorado I, CZ Panama V, 18–22 1987, Hank Wolda” (month and dates handwritten) / “TRAP, 1A” / “Collection of the Global, Eucnemid Research Project, (Robert L. Otto)” (greenframed white label) / “ PARATYPE:, Phlegon, panamensis, Otto, det. R.L. Otto, 2016” (♂ handwritten on label) [yellow printed label]; 1 ♀, “PAN. Colon Prv, Ft Espanar vic Marg, 2 June 1992, JE Wappes” / “Collection of the Global, Eucnemid Research Project, (Robert L. Otto)” (green-framed white label) / “ PARATYPE:, Phlegon, panamensis, Otto, det. R.L. Otto, 2016” (♀ handwritten on label) [yellow printed label]. Paratypes are retained in GERP.

Description. Male holotype: Length 13.5 mm, width, 4.0 mm. Body stout, oblong, elongate; uniformly reddish brown; antennae reddish brown; femora, tibiae and tarsi reddish brown; head, pronotum and elytra clothed with elongate, semierect yellowish setae (Fig. 20).

Head: Subspherical; frons convex, with triangular fovea above frontoclypeal region; surfaces shiny, densely punctate; punctures variably sized; apical margin of frontoclypeal region rounded, about 2 times wider than base; mandibles slender, without teeth.

Antenna (Fig. 21): About 2/3 of body length; antennomere III longer than IV; antennomeres IV–V slightly longer than wide; antennomeres VI–VII quadrate; antennomere VIII wider than long; antennomeres IX–X enlarged, pectinate; ramus thinner, at least 1.5 times longer than length of respective segment, arising near apices; antennomere IX shorter than X; antennomere XI simple, elongate, tubular.

Pronotum: Surfaces shiny, densely, shallowly punctate; punctures variably sized; slightly wider than long, with moderate, sharp hind angles; parallel-sided at hind angles, gradually narrowing anteriorly above hind angles; disc convex, without circular fovea; base sinuous.

Scutellum: Setose, quadrate, elongate and distally rounded.

Elytra: Striae indicated, formed from round punctures; interstices slightly elevated; surfaces shiny, very shallowly punctate; apices (Fig. 22) with shallow cavities near elytral suture.

Legs: First tarsomere shorter than combined length of remaining four on mesotarsi; tibiae rounded in cross section; metatarsomeres I–III simple; metatarsomere IV excavated, bilobed; mesotarsomere V elongate; pretarsal claws simple.

Venter: Closely punctate, with elongate, semierect yellowish setae; hypomeron simple, without lateral antennal grooves; metepisterna parallel-sided; metacoxal plates medially 3.0–6.0 times wider than laterally.

Aedeagus (Fig. 23): Basal piece short, rounded, dorsally open; remaining parts bulbous, basally narrowed, widest near base of lateral lobes; median lobe short, ventrally curved, dorsally hooked at tip; lateral lobes ventrally curved, elongate, apically rounded.

Variation. Two paratypes were examined. The male paratype was 15.0 mm long and 5.0 mm wide, larger and wider than the holotype. The female paratype (Fig. 24) was 18.0 mm long and 6.0 mm wide, also larger and wider than the holotype. There are no notable differences between the male paratype and the holotype. The female paratype differs from the male holotype in four features. First color, the female paratype is much darker than the holotype: reddish brown in the holotype, dark brown in the paratype. Secondly, a pair of deep, circular foveae is present on the pronotal disc of the paratype (absent in the holotype). Thirdly, the triangular fovea is shallowly indicated above the frontoclypeal region in the paratype. Lastly, the female antennal structures (Fig. 25) differ from either the holotype or male paratype. For the female paratype, antennomere III is slightly longer than IV; antennomeres IV–V are longer than wide; antennomeres VI–VIII are slightly longer than wide; antennomeres IX–X are strongly dentate, subequal, each as long as antennomeres VII–VIII combined; antennomere XI is simple, cylindrical, and longer than either IX or X.

Distribution. This eucnemid has been taken from several localities in the country.

Biology. One specimen was taken presumably from a flight intercept trap placed in the Canal Zone. Larvae and pupae are unknown.

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from a combination of two words, ‘Panama’ and ‘-ensis’, a Latin adjectival suffix meaning “pertaining to”.